Scooter raiders caught as they strike again

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Police have brought down a scooter gang that targeted London's fashion boutiques, stealing hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of designer goods.

Detectives swooped on seven suspected members in a series of raids last night.

Officers seized a handgun and four stolen motorbikes and mopeds which are believed to have been used in raids.

They also recovered around 20 Louis Vuitton handbags worth more than £1,200 each.

Police launched the raids after the smash and grab gang struck twice on Wednesday night, raiding a Louis Vuitton store in the City and another designer boutique in Marylebone High Street.

Undercover officers are believed to have been mounting surveillance on the group - waiting for the moment that they struck again. As well as the stolen handbags, police also recovered Rolex watches and large amounts of cash.

The breakthrough comes after raids on more than 32 boutiques across London this year. These are the first arrests made by officers from Westminster Crime Squad.

They seized seven men aged between 19 and 43 at their homes in Holloway, King's Cross and Islington. The men are all in custody in various police stations across central London.

Detective Chief Inspector Mark Roycroft, who led the investigation, said: "We are extremely pleased with the result of this operation. We have recovered high value stolen property and we hope this now sends out a message that the West End is now off limits to smash and grab raiders."

The scooter gang - believed to be a loose-knit group of associates based in Islington - targeted designer stores with expensive items on display. Police believe the stolen goods were either sold through black market outlets in the UK or abroad.

The gang struck with lightning speed using sledgehammers to smash windows, grab goods and ride off, with the raids usually lasting for just a few minutes.

Gang members wore full face crash helmets and obscured the licence plates of their bikes making it difficult for police to detect their identities.